Georgia Barbush & Remy

Who is in the photo at right?

This is me, Georgia Barbush, and my pup Remy. I am a Registered Vet Tech and my husband and I also have a pet furniture business called Peach Industries. Remy is neutered male Staffie mix, probably about one and half years old.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

It’s been chilly all day – perfect weather for cuddling up with something hot to drink and my personal heater (aka: Remy).

What's brewing?

I usually prefer tea to coffee. Today I’m drinking jasmine green tea.

Any treats for you or Remy on this occasion?

Remy got some special peanut butter puppy cupcake treats for Christmas, so he’s enjoying one of those.

How were you and Remy united?

I was working in the medical department at the spcaLA. Remy came in as a stray. I wasn’t even supposed to be working that day, but a co-worker was not feeling well. I brought Remy in to our treatment room to do a physical exam, vaccinate, and deworm him. He was calm, obviously clever, and wanted nothing more than to curl up in my lap; I just had a feeling that he was the dog for me.

How did Remy get his name? Any aliases?

At the shelter he’d been called Rudy, but that name always makes me think of the Cosby show. We went through a long list of names, but Remy just sounded right. It’s sort of cute and a little sophisticated at the same time. My husband calls him Remington a lot. My aunt calls him Remington Steele. I call him Remy Roo or Remy-O or a whole host of baked goods and sweets.

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

Squirrel, without a doubt. We’ve made great progress curbing Remy’s once strong prey drive, but the squirrels still pique his interest.

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?

All of the above, depending on location and mood. Remy adores playing fetch with a tennis ball. He bounds around the house with his squeaky toys. And he would chew every stick he finds, but I have to take those away as he will swallow the splintery bits if left to his own devices.

You've got some great photos on your blog of Remy at Christmas. What were some of the gifts he had under the tree?

Well, there were the puppy cupcakes I mentioned, a menagerie of furry squeaky toys, a great book called The Mischief Master Class by a blogging buddy named Snoopy, and a treat puzzle, which Remy figured out in about two seconds flat.

Does Remy have a favorite place to go for outings?

I like to take Remy to a lot of different places for walks, but I think his favorite is the lake near our house. This is probably because most of our pack walks take place at the lake.

Who are Remy's best pet-pals?

Remy’s absolute favorite buddies are our trainer’s dogs. He especially likes Smudge, an 11 year old cattle dog/Dalmatian mix and Leo, a 6 month old terrier mix who comes over for sleepovers sometimes.

If Remy could change one thing about you, what would it be?

He would make me a little more generous with the treats. I like to keep Remy pretty lean, but I think he’d be quite fat if he had is his own way.

If Remy could answer only one question in English, what would you ask him?

I would be tempted to ask him how on earth he can stand eating duck poop, but that would be wasteful. Instead I think I would ask him what I do that confuses him. Of course I always think I am being perfectly clear, but really I know that is impossible.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which Remy could speak, who should voice him?

Hmm, tricky…I think maybe Remy would sound like Rico Rodriguez (the young man who plays “Manny” on Modern Family).

Learn more about Remy at the OneBlueDog blog, his Twitter perch, and Facebook page; visit the Peach Industries website and Facebook page.

--Marshal Zeringue